Vibrating tongue element of a percussion instrument

Abstract

The invention relates to percussion instruments in which sound is produced by striking a resonating means. The technical result of the invention is that the chosen shape of a vibrating element reduces the number of audible harmonics that are produced by a tongue and that need to be tuned in order to produce a clean, harmonious sound. In addition, the sound of the fundamental frequencies is approximately equal in strength. This is achieved in that a vibrating tongue element of a percussion instrument is configured in the form of a plate having two root portions situated at opposite sides. Said root portions connect the plate to the percussion instrument. The vibrating element itself is configured in the form of two oppositely oriented arcuate slots, a portion of each of which lies within the segment of the other.

Description

[0001] Vibrating tongue element of a percussion instrument

[0002] The invention relates to devices - percussion instruments, in which sound is produced by striking a resonator.

[0003] The closest technical solution adopted as a prototype is a vibrating tongue element of a percussion instrument, described in Russian patent No. 2570051, made in the form of a console plate having three main parts - a root, made to the instrument in a console manner, and two side parts having an elongated shape and connected each by one of its long sides to the root part at some distance from the place where the root part is connected to the instrument.

[0004] The common essential features of the prototype are the following: a vibrating tongue element of the percussion instrument, made in the form of a plate, connected to the instrument by the root part.

[0005] The vibrating tongue element (tongue) is designed to reproduce one note and its harmonics, which are related to the fundamental frequency of the note in the proportion of 1:2, 1:3, 1:4, 1:5, 1:6, etc. That is, in the prototype there are a large number of harmonics in the sounding range of the element, in particular the fundamental frequency and five more fundamental harmonics 1:2, 1:3, 1:4, 1:5, G.6 (the remaining harmonics above G.8 are practically inaudible - they are absorbed by the body of the instrument). To tune these fundamental harmonics so that they sound in a given numerical range of frequencies, so that, for example, at a fundamental frequency of 100 Hz the harmonics are, respectively, 200, 300, 400, 500, 600 Hz, etc., requires a significant investment of time. In addition, some harmonics in this prototype element, for example, the second frequency, are “torque” symmetrical and therefore almost inaudible, which affects the purity and strength of the element’s sound.

[0006] The proposed invention achieves the following technical result - by selecting the shape of the vibrating element, the number of audible harmonics emitted by the tongue is reduced (those harmonics whose frequency does not exceed the threshold after which the vibrations are strongly damped by the body), which must be adjusted to obtain a harmonious sound, not polluted by false sounds. Additionally, approximately equivalent sound of the main frequencies is achieved.

[0007] This is achieved by the fact that the vibrating tongue element of the percussion instrument, made in the form of a plate, has two root parts located on opposite sides and connecting the plate with the percussion instrument, while the vibrating element itself is made in the form of two oppositely oriented arcuate slots, parts of which go into each other's segments. This form allows you to get three main tuned frequencies in the proportion of 1:2:3. At the same time, the second frequency, due to the asymmetry of the oscillation shape, sounds about as loud as the first, which makes the timbre of the sound richer (in the prototype, the second frequency is "torque" symmetrical and therefore almost inaudible). The first and third frequencies sound commensurate with the prototype, and the fourth and subsequent (not subject to tuning) in the new form are very high (exceed the first by 8 or more times) and are almost inaudible, including due to absorption by the body of the instrument.This makes the tongue sound rich and clear at 3 tuned frequencies, making the tuning process easier and faster.

[0008] The proposed solution can find application in the designs of percussion tongue instruments, such as metal reed drums.

[0009] The proposed technical solution is illustrated by the figures 1-3.

[0010] Fig. 1 shows a vibrating tongue element of a percussion instrument.

[0011] Fig. 2 shows a vibrating tongue element of a percussion instrument with a conditional division into sections that have their own vibration patterns.

[0012] Fig. 3 shows the main frequencies of oscillations of the sections of the vibrating tongue element shown in Fig. 2.

[0013] The vibrating tongue element of the percussion instrument shown in Fig. 1-3 is made in the form of a plate, has two root parts 1 located on opposite sides and connecting the plate with the percussion instrument, while the vibrating element itself is made in the form of two oppositely oriented arc-shaped slots 2, parts of which enter each other's segments. Conventionally, the plate can be divided into sections 3-10 (Fig. 2).

[0014] In this case, as in the prototype, when scaling the contour of the vibrating elements, all its frequencies change, while maintaining the relationships between themselves.

[0015] The vibrating tongue element operates (sounds) as follows. The first frequency is emitted as a result of the cantilever oscillation (Fig. 3, a) of section 3 of the plate during bending of sections 4 and 5, and its frequency is determined by the ratio of the moment of inertia of section 3 of the plate and the rigidities of sections 4 and 5. The second frequency is emitted as a result of the cantilever oscillation (Fig. 3, b) of section 6 of the plate during bending of sections 7 and 8, and this frequency is determined by the ratio of the moment of inertia of section 6 and the rigidities of sections 7 and 8. This frequency is brought into a ratio of 2:1 with the first frequency. The third frequency is emitted as a result of the torsional oscillation (Fig. 3, c) of the central section 9 of the plate relative to the axis, essentially passing through the centers of sections 5 and 8. The value of this frequency is determined by the moment of inertia of the central part 9 and the rigidities of bending sections 4, 5, 7, 8 and is brought into a ratio of 3:1 with the first frequency. A fourth, almost inaudible frequency can also be optionally adjusted.It is produced as a result of vibration (Fig. 3, г) of section 10 of the plate and some secondary vibrations of other sections during bending mainly of sections 4 and 8. The value of this frequency is determined by the ratio of the mass of section 10 and the rigidities of sections 4 and 8 and is brought into the ratio 8:1 with the first frequency. The shapes of the slots 2 and the corresponding vibration frequencies can be calculated by determining the ratio of the moment of inertia, mass and rigidity of the plate sections, and also obtained empirically in the process of modeling. In this case, the above-mentioned adjustment-regulation of the vibrating tongue element can be made at different stages - both in the process of design by calculation or empirically (rough adjustment), and after making the slots in the metal (fine adjustment) by removing or adding a certain amount of metal. Thus, when removing a layer of metal (thinning) at the point where the mass is critically important, the frequency increases, and at the point where the rigidity is critically important, the frequency drops.Similarly, adding metal at the point where mass is critical will lower the frequency, while adding metal at the point where rigidity is critical (where the tongue bends) will increase the frequency.

Claims

Formula The vibrating tongue element of the percussion instrument, characterized by the fact that it is made in the form of a plate, has two root parts located on opposite sides and connecting the plate with the percussion instrument, while the vibrating element itself is made in the form of two oppositely oriented arcuate slots, parts of which enter each other's segments.

Images